Vacuum-tank lock



March 31, 1931. K J. H. HUNT 1,798,943

VACUUM TANK Loox Filed July l, 1927 35% /emmf M 91 I Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE JOHN H. HUNT, OF DETROIT, MCHIGAN, ASSGNOB TO GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH CORPORATION, OIE' DETROT, MCI-IIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE VACUUM-TANK LOCK Application led July 1,

This invention relates to a lock for an automobile and more especially to a lock which can be used to shut oil' the supply of gasoline trom the tank to the carburetor.

it is an object of my inventionlto provide a lock which can be applied to the vacuum tank of an automobile for shutting oil the supply ot gasoline from the vacuum tank to the carburetor. lt is a further object of my inven- 151 tion to provide such a lock which will be connected to the ignition lock and will be operated by turning the key in that lock. Vhile the ignition lock is comparatively easy to evade y making a short circuit and leaving `l5 the lock out of the circuit, such an expedient would not overcome the vacuum tank lock. lllhil-e this lock provides an additional safeguard 'for the car, it entails no additional cares on the operator as the lock is opened l0 and closed by the turning of the switch key.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description, taken in `connection with the accompanying drawing, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my vacuum tank lock and illustrating in detail themeans by which the lock is operated by the switch key. Y

Figure 2 is a detail View of the lock and its connection to the vacuum tank, with parts broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l() indicates a conventional vacuum tank provided with a drain plug 11 and located in its usual place beneath the hood and fixed to the rear wall 12 of the hood compartment. Fixed to the underside of the vacuum tank is the lock indicated generally at 14. The lock comprises an upper member 16, fixed in an opening on the under side of the vacuum tank, and a complementary lower or base member 18. The two members are separated by a diaphragm 20 of impermeable material and may be held together in any desired manner, as by spaced screws or bolts (not shown). The two members are so formed as to leave therebetween a space 22, hereinafterreferred to as the lockchamber.

1927. Sei-i211 No. 202,910.

Extending down through the center of the upper member 16 and connecting the vacuum tank with the lock chamber is the tube or conduit 24. Slidable vertically in this tube isa valve stem or rod 26. The tube 24`is bevelled at its upper end, as at- 28, and fitting in this bevelled end for the purpose of closing` the tube is a ball 30,1 rigidly attached to the rod 26. Since the diaphragm 2O is lixed to the abutment 32, the lower part or the lock chamber is sealed from the upper part. Within the lock chamber there is rigidly fixed on the rod the ab`utment32 and extending between this abutment and the lower end of the tube 24 is a coil spring 34. The spring is under compression and tends to force the rod 26 downward. The rod is provided with centering guides 36, comprising perforated plates or spiders, for holding it substantially in the center of the tube 24. The lower end of the rod 26 is provided with a ball 38 which is capable of moving vertically in an opening in the bottom of the lock chamber. I thus provide a valve in the conduit between the vacuum tank and carburetor, and normally spring-pressed in closed position. The numeral 41 indicates an opening in the side of' lock in which is attached the `tube leading to the carburetor.

The valve operating mechanism is located in the lower part 18 of the lock. This comprises a cylindrical guideway or opening 39 extending diametrically across the base 18 and carrying slidably mounted therein the plunger 42. A flexible tension element 44, in this case a Bowden wire, connects the plunger 42 with the lock operating device mounted on the dashboard. Fixed to the base 18 over the end of opening 39, and having an opening therein only large enough for the wire 44, is a cap 46 and extending between this cap and the plunger 42 and surrounding the wire 44 is the coil spring 48. This spring is always under compression and tends to force the plunger 42 away from the cap 46 or toward the lett as viewed in Figure 2.

The plunger 42 has intermediate its ends an annular notch 50 provided with a cam surtace 52, and adjacent one end an annular notch 54. The sides of the latter are in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the plunger, this slot being just large enough to cooperate with a plunger 56 of the auxiliary locking device for a purpose explained below. The auxiliary locking device or latch comprises the plunger 56 provided with a head 58, the plunger and head being slidable vertically in a suitably shaped opening in the base 18. A cover or cap 60 is provided for this opening and is fixed in place by suitable means, and extending between the cap 60 and the head 58 of the plunger is a compressed coil spring 62. rlhe spring 62 must be weak enough that the head of the plunger 42 will slide readily over the plunger The device for moving the plunger from left to right, as shown in the drawing, will now be described. This comprises an internally threaded element 64 placed in the rear of the switch 66 mounted on the dashboard 68 and held for slidable movement with relation to the switch by means of a casing or housing 70 fixed against the rear face of the switch and provided with a rearwardly extending -Flange 7 2. The element 64 is provided with a rearwardly extending portion 76 fitting over the head 78 of the wire 44. Within the threaded member 64 and carrying complementary threads is the lock operating member 74. rlhis member 74 is connected to the rotatable part of the conventional switch lock by means of a tubular connection 7 5. rlhe element 64 is keyed to the housing 70 in order to prevent rotation, but permit longitudinal movement of the former relative to the latter. Surrounding the wire 44 and suitably connected to the cap 46 on the base and to the flange 72 of the housing` 70 is the flexible tube 80.

The operation of my device will now be described. The device is illustrated in locked position, the ball 80 being shown litt-ing over the top of the tube 24, thus cutting off the flow of gasoline from the vacuum tank 10 into the lock chamber 22 which leads to the carburetor through the opening 4l. The switch is unlocked by rotating the key 77 clockwise, as viewed from-the front. This rotates the threaded element 74 and moves the internallythreaded element 64 to the right as viewed in Figure l. As the element 64 is connected to the head 78 of the wire by means of theV rearwardly extending f portion 76, movement of the element 64 is from the vacuum tank to the lock chamber and hence to lthe carburetor. The diaphragm 2O prevents the passage of the fuel to the bottom of the lock chamber and thus insures the device against leakage. When the switch is being locked, the operation is just the reverse of this, the spring 48 expanding and pushing the plunger 42 back to the position illustrated. In case someone cuts the tube 8O and wire 44, the springr will force the plunger to the left still farther, as shown in Figure 2, and the spring pressed plunger 56 will be forced up into the notch 54, thus positively holding the plunger in locked position. It is obvious from the above description that the wire 44 holds the plunger in locked or unlocked position against the tension of the spring 48 and that unless the wire 44 is severed, the plunger can move no farther to the left, as shown in Figure 2, than the drawing illustrates. That is, under normal operating conditions the plunger 56 has no function. Its main function is to positively lock the plunger 42 in position to permit the valve to remain closed, and this function is exercised only in case the wire 44 is severed or becomes disconnected at one end. Friction between the threaded elements 64 and 74 is sulicient to hold the device in locked or unlocked position.

l claim: n

l. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, means for operating said valve, and means operating automatically upon the disconnection or breaking of said lirst means for locking said lirst means in closed position. Y

2. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a memberV movable to operate the valve, means for moving said member, and a latch operating automatically upon the disconnection or breaking of said means for locking said means in closed position.

3. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a member movable within a limited range for operating said valve, means urging said member towardV valve closed position, and a latch sealed in the wall of the device and engageable with said member upon itsmovement beyond its limited range.

4. In an automotive vehicle including an engine, a valve interposed in the fuel supplying means for said engine, a member movable to operate said valve, a lock for operating said member, and means operating auto-l matically upon the disconnection or breaking of said lock and. member for holding said member in closed position.

5. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a member movable to operate said valve, a lock for operating said member within a predetermined range, and a latch engageable with said memberupon movement of the member beyond said predetermined range.

(i. In a device oi the class described, a conduit, a` valve controlling said conduit, a cani member movable Within a predetermined range for operating said valve, means for ope ating said cam member, and means operated by movement of said cam member beyond said predetermined range for rendering said rst means inoperative.

7. In an automotive vehicle, a :fuel conduit, a valve in said conduit, a cam member slidable to ope ate the valve, a spring pressing said cam toward valve closed position, a ten sion element connected with said cam memier, and a lock operable to reciprocate said tension element.

8. In a fuel lock, a fuel conduit and a guideway in said lock, a valve controlling said conduit, a stem secured to said valve and projecting through said conduit into said guideway, and means including a reciprocable cani in said guideway for operating said stem.

9. In a `fuel lock, a fuel conduit and a guideway in said lock, a valve controlling said conduit, a stem secured to said valve and projecting through said conduit into said guideivay, a plunger in said guideway hav ing a reduced intermediary portion, and a rcciprocable cam formed on said reduced portion for operating said stem.

'10. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a reciprocable cam for operating said valve, means connected to said cam to operate the same, and a spring operating automatically to move said cam to a locked position upon the breaking or disconnecting of said means.

11. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a reciprocable cam for operating said valve, a Wire connected to said cam to operate the same, a casing inclosing said Wire, a latch, and a spring operative to move said cam into engagement with said latch upon the disconnection or breaking of said Wire.

12. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a reciprocable cam movable Within a limited range for operating said valve, a spring urging said cam to a position to correspond to valve closed position, and a latch sealed in the Wall of the device and engageable with said cam to retain the cam upon its move ment beyond its limited range.

'13. In an automotive vehicle including an engine, a valve interposed in the fuel supplying means for said engine, a cam movable to operate said valve, a locking means for operating said cam, and a spring operative automatically upon the disconnection of said cam and means to move said cam to cause said valve to assume its closed position.

14. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a cam movable to operate said valve, a locking means for operating said cam Within a predetermined range, and a latch engageable with said cam upon movement of said cam beyond said predetermined range.

15. In a device of the class described, a conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, a cam rod movable Within a predetermined range for operating said valve, a Wire for operating said cam rod, a casing inclosing said Wire, and a latch operated by movement of said cam rod beyond said predetermined range for rendering said Wire inoperative.

16. In a device of the class described, a fuel conduit, a valve in said conduit, a cam rod slidable to operate the valve, a spring pressing said valve to closed position, and a Wire connected to said rod to operate the same.

17. In a device of the class described, a fuel conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, means for operating said valve, a spring acting on said means, a groove in said means, and means operating automatically to engage said groove upon the disconnection or breaking of said first named means for holding said first named means in closed position.

18. In a device of the class described, a

fuel conduit, a valve controlling said conduit, means for operating said valve, a spring acting on said means, a groove in said means, and a spring operated latch operating `antomatically to engage said groove upon the disconnection or breaking of said means for holding said means in closed position.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

JOHN H. HUNT. 

